A 2nd century BCE hillfort / castle from the time of Mithridates VI, king of Pontus. In Ordu Province, Turkey. The discovery of the historic Kybele sculpture (pictured) during recent excavations caused great excitement, with approximately 15,000 people rushing to the city to view the sculpture.
But although archaeological works continue to be conducted on the castle, dynamite is detonated every day on the slope of the Kurul Rocks overlooking the Melet River, creating grave danger for the castle.
Goddess statue and 2100-year-old castle threatened by dynamite in the north of Turkey